Thursday, August 30, 2012

“Yes, ’n’ how
many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn’t see?”

Bob Dylan

Dear Dr. Singh,

You recently stood outside parliament and invoked an Urdu
couplet saying that your “silence is better than a thousand answers; it
keeps intact the honour of innumerable questions.” Perhaps, there is
some honour in not responding to each and every personal accusation made
against you. We understand that many of these are politically motivated and
designed by the opposition to disrupt parliamentary proceedings, or to distract
the public from far more important matters facing the country. However, there
is a much larger issue we are dealing with today, one that goes beyond your
personal integrity, and one that affects the lives of each and every one of your countrymen and the
future of our children.

The fact is that this is just the latest scam in a
seemingly never-ending series of scams that plagued your coalition’s tenure –
under your leadership. Perhaps you should also stay silent about the
Black Money scandal where an Indian businessman was caught stashing Rs.39,120
crores ($8 billion), and the Supreme Court reprimanded your government “for
failing to interrogate Khan and other alleged offenders despite having
sufficient material in the possession of investigators.” (source: NDTV). Stay silentabout
theCommonwealth Games scam where your own party man and Chairman
of the Organising Committee was charged by the CBI as “the
"mastermind" in fixing and inflating costs of a timing, scoring and
result” (source: Times of India).
Ignore the 2G spectrum scam which not only involved dirty politicians from your
coalition but also bureaucrats, corporate personalities, media personalities
and lobbyists. We should also forget the Telgi stamp paper scam which lasted
ten years, had tentacles across 12 states, and involved police officers and
other government employees. Including one police officer who is said famously to
have acquired “assets worth Rs.100 crores despite earning only Rs. 9,000 a
month.” (source: Mens XP).
Or look the other way about the growing number of defence scams, starting with
Scorpene, where it was alleged that the “Congress leadership awarded
the contract to French manufacture, Thales
in exchange of 4% commission.” (source: Times of India).
God forbid you dignify the outgoing Army Chief’s letter about our defence
procurement procedures being mired in bureaucracy and corruption with a
response. Even if our forces are woefully short of ammunition, poorly equipped
and we face “97 per cent obsolescence in air defence preparedness.”
(source: Times of India). Facts, it seems, that had
previously been submitted by the comptroller and auditor general (CAG) in
an earlier report highlighting “the same critical gaps in India's
defence, only much more starkly.” (source: Times of India).

I suppose you want all of us to close our eyes when the
International media does cover stories with the opening line; “It is
sometimes said that corruption is the purpose of Indian politics.” (source: The Economist).
Cover our ears and ignore companies like Dell whose senior executives are
giving interviews stating that it is becoming impossible to do business in
India because of power blackouts, uncertain tax rules and lack of honour among
decision-makers.” New decision makers come and they don't honour the
contract previously signed." We should say good riddance
to companies like Germany's Fraport, the world's second-biggest airport operator, “who
recently decided to shut its development office in India, becoming the latest
in a growing list of companies exiting Asia's third-largest economy.” (source: Reuters).
All while the rupee continues its free fall, to new and even greater lows;
causing imports to skyrocket and making it harder for the average Indian to
travel or study abroad. India’s last quarter economic growth rate was the
slowest pace in the last three years. The agriculture sector posted modest
growth of 1.7 percent and the industrial sector grew a meagre 1.9
percent. “The fall in gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), popularly
known as the investment rate, to below 30 per cent of the GDP for the first
time since 2004-05 does not augur well for the future.” A few weeks
prior to this report being released Goldman Sachs and Bank of America Merrill
Lynch had both downgraded India’s economic outlook for 2012-13 (source: The Hindu).
I could go on but perhaps my silence, even as inflation continues to rise, will
speak louder for you.

It no longer matters if you dipped
your hand in the cookie jar or not. I think I speak for all my countrymen when
I say we still believe that you are not corrupt. However, it is not integrity
that we seek from you; it is leadership, tenacity and the courage to fulfill
the duties of your office. Nobody expects you to wipe out corruption, but
at least let justice be delivered when corruption is exposed. Stop
protecting those who have abused their office and been caught red-handed. Open
your eyes and look around at the devastation your party and coalition members have
caused under your nose and leadership. Turn your head in the direction of
the havoc they are wreaking through unchecked corruption and unending
greed. You will not have to look far to see how they continue to rape and
pillage your country, our country, my country only to fill their Swiss
coffers. They are selling our souls to the highest bidder, every day. Uphold
the oath of your office and serve the people who put you there.

Mother India weeps and lies bleeding at your doorstep. This
will be your legacy, Dr. Singh, if you continue to do nothing.

The time for silence is over. The time for words is also
over. It is time for action. Save India. Lead us, or get out of the way.